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PACKAGE WRAPPING MACHINE. I 'No. 516,186.' Patented Mar. 13,; 1894.

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L. 0'. GROWBLL. PACKAGE WRAPPING MACHINE.

No. 516,186; Patented Mar. 13, 1894.

ms NAYIONAL LI'INOGRAFHING COMPANY. WASHINGTON. nv c.

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(NdModplJ L 0. GROWELL. PACKAGE WRAPPING MACHINE.

No. 516,186. Patented M a,r.,.13, 1894.

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m NAncNAL muowame COMPANY,

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.L. 0. GROWELL PACKAGE WRAPPING MAGHINE.

No. 516.186; 1 Patented Mar. 13,- 1894.

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PACKAGE WRAPPING MACHINE- v.

Patented-Mar. 13, I894.

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I L. O. OROWELL. I PACKAGE WRAPPING MAGHINE. No.. 516,186. PatentdMar.13, 18 94.

- UNITE STATES LUTHER O. OROWELL, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGN OR, BY DIRECT ANDMESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO ROBERT HOE, THEODORE H. MEAD, AND CHARLES W.CARPENTER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PACKAG E-WRAPPI NG MACHIN E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 516,186, dated March13, 1894.

Application filed June 13, 1892. Serial No- 436,591. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LUTHER C. OROWELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of- New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Package-TrappingMachines, fully described and represented in the following specificationand the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

The present improvements relate to that class of mechanisms known aswrapping machines, the purpose of which is to envelop a book, pamphletor folded sheet within a postal cover or carriage wrapper, byautomatically feeding one to the other and uniting the two as a compoundproduct.

The function of this machine is to supply the covering material from theweb, to apply the cover to the article fed to it, and deliver thearticle covered or Wrapped as a finished package.

While it is contemplated in some instances to connect this wrappingmachine with a printing press so that the folded product thereof may becovered or wrapped and de livered in convenient form for mailing orother carriage, the article requiring to be covered may be fed to thiswrapping machine, either by hand, or by any feeding device that willsuccessfully deliver to it books, pamphlets, folded papers or other.similar articles and cause them to enter within the range of action ofthe folding mechanism which simul taneously forms a covering or wrappingtube and applies the same about the article.

The invention consists in an improved folder whereby a web of paper orsimilar wrapping material is converted into a tube of dimensions suitedto the article to be wrapped, which folder so operates that when thetube is partially formed it provides an entrance pocket for thereception within it of the article and thereafter during the completionof the tube it applies the same about the article so as to envelop orcover it, and it embraces various adjustments of parts of the folder toadapt it for operationin connection with varying dimensions of thearticle to be wrapped or covered.

It also includes a peculiar construction of two of the members of thefolder whereby that portion of the web which is laid against the edgesof the said article shall be properly guided and its buckling or ruptureprevented during the operation of so folding it.

It further includes a compressing device whereby the loose leaves orplies of the article to be wrapped are compacted so as to reduce thearticle to its smallest dimensions and thus secure a perfect package.

It also comprises means for bending the article to be wrappedtransversely and thus contracting the crosswise extent of the tube sothat the covering tube applied thereto shall snugly fit the package whenit assumes its ultimate fiat form. And it embodies feeding mechanism forintroducing the package to be wrapped and for advancing the web and thetube inclosing the package, as well as means for severing package frompackage, and delivering the severed package out of the machine.

The foregoing constitute the principal features of this invention, butothers will, however, be set out in the course of the followingdescription of the manner in which these improvements are or may becarried into effect and be specifically set forth in claims therefor, anunderstanding of all of Which will be aided by reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan View of a machineembodying said invention, with the package feeding mechanism removed andcertain of the lower shafts omitted for the sake of clearness. Fig.2 isan end elevation, in which are omitted some of the parts which wouldobscure others more important to be clearly illustrated. Fig. 3 is anelevation of the gear side of the machine. Fig. 4 is an elevation of theopposite side of the machine. Fig. 5 is a similar view with the nearestside frame removed. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal central sectionalelevation. Fig. 7 is. a longitudinal sectional elevation of the packagefeeding mechanism. Fig.8 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 9 isaperspective view of the folding devices detached from the machine. Fig.10 is a similarview of the folding devices, with the web undergoing thefoldingoperation and being wrapped about the package as its cover.

The principal elements of the machine illustrated, are:a pastingmechanism whereby the wrapping or covering web is provided with a lineof paste for forming its uniting seam; a folding apparatus by which aweb of paper is converted into a tubular wrapper by lapping the sameabout the article to be coverect or wrapped; a feeding device wherebyarticles to be wrapped or covered are successively fed to the foldingdevices to be wrapped or enveloped by the tube as it is formed from theweb; a compressing device whereby the loose plies or sheets, composingthe package to be wrapped, are pressed together so as to enter readilyinto the mouth of the folder, a conforming device whereby the package istemporarily so shaped while receiving its wrapper that when it assumesits ultimate shape the said wrapper will snugly fit or bind the same;bending devices whereby the foregoing operation isaided; feedingmechanism, whereby the covering or wrapping web and the article to becovered or wrapped are carried through the machine, and the wrapped orcovered article is conveyed to the delivery mechanism; a cuttingmechanism whereby the foremost covered or wrapped article is severedfrom the wrapped article following it while both are traveling onwardthrough the machine; and,adeliveriug mechanism whereby the completelywrapped article is delivered out of the machine.

The general operation of the machine illus trated as embodying theseimprovements, which may be readily comprehended by an inspection of Fig.10, is as follows: A web of paper while being fed through the machine isconverted into a tube which when partially formed presents an openpocket into which the article to be covered, as the book B,isintroduced, and when fully formed is lapped widthwise about saidarticle as a cover or Wrapper. successively wrapped articles thusenveloped within the tube are separated into separate packages bysevering the web between their adjacent ends.

lhe pasting mechanism by which the'lapped edges of the tube are unitedconsists of a paste disk or roller 101 that is mounted to run in a pastevat 102 and bear upon one edge of the web as it passes from the web roll103 and is led over a roller 10st and around a roller 105. A line ofpaste is thus deposited upon one edge of the web and when said edge islaid on and pressed upon the opposite edge of the webafter its two sidesare folded inwardly and overlapped to form a tube, the two edges will bejoined by a pasted seam and form a tubular wrapper or cover.

The folding apparatus (see Fig. 9) consists essentially of a horizontaltransverse guiding or folding edge g, two rearward depending guiding orfolding edges mi, laterally disposed at opposite angles to the guidingedge g and two horizontal guiding or folding edges cl, e set atconverging angles, and of such a length as will not only cause the sidesof the web to be turned centrally into horizontal planes, but oneoverlap the other to the extent desired for the seam that unites one tothe other to form a tube.

It is convenient and advantageous, instead of forming the guiding orfolding edges 9,10, 11, d, e of bars or rods, as might be done, toconstruct the folder in plate form. Thus the rearwardly inclined portiong, 10,2: might bea plate 0 of suitable form and have extending forwardfrom its upper ed ge a horizontal plate R of a width equal or about soto that of the wrapped package to be formed, which plate as it aloneoperates as a support for the wrapping or covering web when it sustainsthe article to be wrapped, might have substituted for it an apron or beconstructed as a table fixed to the frame and in some cases be omittedaltogether. The guiding edges cl, 6 instead of being composed simply ofturning bars or rods angularly disposed, might be a plate structure ofthe shape shown with rearward depending wings O, W and frontlappingplates or guides E. L. This folder or folding guide is sustained asfollows: Its plate 0 is hung near its upper or guiding edge 9 by meansof ears a (see Fig. 5) that are pivoted to arms attached to the support112 which extends from a bridge bar 113, and the angular disposition ofthis plate 0 with respect to the leading roller 105 of the pair 104105over which the web 103 passes from the carrying spindle 94, is effectedby means of adjusting rods as 114, which, pivoted to the under side ofsaid plate, are supported by means of sockets as 115, attached to theside frames, in which they may slide and are held in fixed positions byset screws 116. The plate R is sustained at one end by a central support112 that extends from the bridge bar 113 and near its forward end by thebridge bar 117. The composite plates forming the side wing O, guidingedge e and lapping guide E, and the side wing XV, guiding edge cl andlapping guide L, as single instrumentalities are adjustably supported soas to properly relate the guiding edges (1, e to each other and to theguiding edges u i by means of horizontal supporting arms 118, 119 whichhave slotted holes through which set screws secure them to extensions ofthe bridge bar 117. Such a folding guide whether composed of the plates0. R. O. \V. E. L or of the edges g, u, i, d, e similarly adjustable,with or without the plate R, will cause a web of material drawn throughit to be converted into a tube as follows:-- The web 103 will bedistended to its full Width as it passes onto the rearwardl y inclinedplate G and its central or body portion, corresponding with the width ofthe tube to be formed, will be passed over the guiding edge g and extendonward through the folding guide. At the guiding edge g the web is bentat such an angle as to cause its opposite sides to drop over the guidingedges tz, i,'and extend therefrom to and over the guiding edges 01, e,said sides being infolded under the guides (1,6, and doubled onto thecentral or body portion beyond the guiding edge g, on parallel linescoincidingwithrightline forward extensionsof the points where theguiding edges g, a, t', intersect. These guiding edges g, to, 2', allsupport the web outwardly while the guiding edges d, e, support thesides inwardly and lap the said sides from their lines of doubling orfolding on to the central orbody portion of the web, which sides will bepressed or laid flat in an horizontal plane such one edge lappingslightly over the other, thus forming a fiat tube. When this web thusdisposed is advanced through the folding guide, the lines of foldingwill be formed at the intersections of the guides g, u, 2', the sideswill be stretched from the guiding edges 10, 71, over the guiding edges01, e, and thus be folded on said parallel folding lines and lapped uponthe central body. As this machine is especially adapted to envelop quitea thick article, as a newspaper or a folded newspaper within the tubeformed by this folding guide the guiding edges d, e, are arranged to beadjusted vertically so as to provide a space for it above the plane ofthe guiding edge g, whence it results that the web is not only doubledon the folding lines as described, but these lines are expanded to formsides for the tube which are substantially equal to the thickness of thesaid article or have dimensions equal to the distance at which theguides d, e, are set above the guiding edge g, and hence the tube willbe the hollow structure shown in Fig. 10, which illustrates theconformation of the web as it is converted from a distended or flatcondition and assumes such tubular form. This method of forming the tubeprovides it with an open pocket beyond the guiding edge g for thereception of the article to be enveloped by it, as the same is fedwithin the range of action of the folder.

The feeding of the article to be wrapped might be an introduction of itby hand into this pocket, but as it is obvious that the wrapping tubewill be rapidly formed by the ma chine, it is desirable to feed thearticle to be wrapped through a mechanism having a speed of operationequal to that of the wrapping machine. This may be accomplishedby tapesconnecting with a printing machine that produces a printed and foldedproduct, or with a folding machine that folds a sheet into properdimensions, and delivers the same by tapes. The tapes from such afolding machine, whether it be connected or not with a printing machineas its delivery, might be extended to run over the roller 27 or pulleyson a shaft near it, and suitable upper tapes be provided to run over thepulleys 14,15, or any other arrangement of tapes be provided to carrythe folded product into the said pocket. An advantageous construction offeeding device, especially suited to the feeding of such articles aspamphlets is shown in Figs. 7 and 8. This consists of a box'likestructure or container 100 through the bottom of which feeding belts orlagged aprons 92, 93 protrude to act as carriers. These belts or apronsare endless and run over suitable pulleys or sprocket wheels 95, 96 thatare mounted upon shafts, one of which 97 is actuated to give timelyfeeding movements to the whole from the shaft 26 by means of bevelwheels 98, 99. The front end board of this container is adjustablevertically by means of set screws that pass through slotted holes in across plate 109 so as to expose an opening at the lower front corner ofthe container of suitable dimensions to admit the passage one at a timeof the pack or article to be wrapped, which packs or articles are piledone upon anotherwithin the container upon suitable rigid supportingguides 47, 48 which practically form a skeleton bottom that sustains thepile against undue pressing upon the feeding belts or aprons 92, 93,while permitting the latter to operate between them. These belts oraprons are so moved that each set of lags or projecting fingers 12 willforce the lowermost pack or article outward onto the moving web which isbeing converted into a wrapper whereupon it will travel concertedly withsaid web and become wrapped within it as will hereinafter appear. Thisfeeding mechanism may be located so as to deliver the pack or articlebetween the disks 14, 15 and the roller 27 or so as to deliver directlyinto the pocket over the plate R. Thus delivered, the leading end of thepack or article will enter the pocket leaving only space enough betweenthem to admit of the sever ing of one from another, unless it be desiredthat the wrapper shall have an overhanging end or ends, in which casethe necessary distance between the articles will be provided by a moreslowly feeding of them.

As the object of this improved folder is to lay or fold a web of paperin the form of a tube about an article to be wrapped or covered and saidarticle will vary in its thickness as well as its width, said guides d,2 require in addition to a proper angular relation to the guide 9 alateral adjustment which is also accomplished by properly moving thesame into suitable positions secured by the set screws passing throughthe slotted holes in the extensions 118, 119. In order to adapt theseguides d,etosuitthevarying thicknesses of the articles to be wrapped orcovered they also have a vertical adjustment upon the same set screwswhich is secured by placing one or more suitable lifts beneath saidextensions 118, 119 as will be readily apparent. When thus adjusted foran article having any considerable thickness such as is shown in Fig.10, it is obvious that a portion of the wrapping web will require to belaid against said edges as it is guided inwardly to be lapped upon thetop of said article. Thus instead of having its inwardly turned sidesfolded upon a single line of doubling at points corresponding withhorizontal extensions from the junction of the guides g, u and g, i thesaid sides will rise from said junctions to an extent equal to that ofthe thickness of the article and thus necessarily form a double foldingline, namely, where it passes over the lower edge of the side of thearticle and over the upper edge or corner of the article. In order thatthe thin, limp paper constituting the wrapper or cover may not buckle orbe otherwise distorted in passing from said junction of the guides g, u.and g, i the said guides cl and e have their rearward portions adjacentto said points of junction rounded at 1 and 6 as shown in Fig. 9, so asto form practically continuous supports within the partially folded webat the points named, conforming to the natural position it assumes andthus acting to sustain the paper and gradually turn it against the edgesof the article as it passes onward to be laid onto the top of saidarticle by the guides g, e.

The compressing devices, by which the edge or edges of the article to bewrapped are so compacted as to enable said article to smoothly andreadily enter into the pocket which the wrapping tube presents in beingfolded or converted into a tube as just described, consists of an opensided gradually tapered guide preferably composed of a horizontal plate2, 3 whose outer end is curved upward, see Fig. 6, and of a verticalplate as 4, 5, whose outer end is bent outwardly, see Fig. 1, thusforming an entrance end which is large enough to receive the spread ordistended edge of the article, as the spread corner of a book or thedistended edges of a folded sheet, and gradually contracts so that atits exit end its dimensions are equal to that of a compact condition ofthe material composing such article. Such a compressing device ismounted at one or both sides of the pocket, with its forward endslightly entered within said pocket and its outer or rear end in thepathway of the article to be wrapped, so that the article readilyentering into such guide has its free leaves or bulging plies graduallypressed together and the thickness of its body brought to the properdimensions to receive and be tightly enveloped by the wrapper as the twopass into the mouth of the folder and move onward under the guide cl orguides d, e. Ordinarily but one edge of a package will require the useof this compressor, for instance a magazine or pamphlet having one boundedge will have but one edge with loose leaves, and a folded newspaper,will have one doubled edge and its other edge will have free plies, butin the case of the folded paper as the parts of the folded edge areunattached that edge will bulge considerably and make the use of twocompressors desirable; and for rapid manipulation both compressors willbe found advantageous with all packages. \Vhere avertical pressing isalone required it will be obvious that the compressor may be a roller orrollers of suitable size as the curved surfaces of such rollers willpresent a curved sloping guide substantially like those marked 2 and 4and additionally impart a rolling pressure. They are therefore to beconsidered as the equivalent of the fixed pressing guide 2 or 3.

The package conforming device consists of a conformator which is a longnarrow floating bar 9 preferably slightly wider than the seam to beformed by the overlapped edges of the wrapping tube. This floating bar 9is sustained by having one end secured to the shaft that carries theintermediate 49, and, bearing upon or over the shaft of the roller 27which roller is cut away for this purpose, it extends forward centrallyand terminates at or near the feeding roller 11 somewhat in advance ofthe ends of the longer lapping guide E or plate 6, by which the upperply of the web is completelylaid into place. Its upper surface ispreferably convex so that in addition to raising the upper pliesof thewrapper, it will slightly curve or bend. upward the central portion ofthe article to be wrapped and thus draw its outer edges inwardly, theeffect of which is to contract the article widthwise as in Fig. 2. Thelateral compressing or bending devices which co-operate with the bar 9are composed of opposite side or edge guides 90, 91 that are adjustablysupported by the bridge bar 117 upon which they are socured by means oflateral plates provided with slotted attaching holes and securing setscrews. These guides embrace the point where the tube is fully formedand extend near to the point where the uniting seam is formed, and theypreferably have concave surfaces that bear upon the outer edges of theenveloped package as it passes between them. They may be set to pressmore orless inwardly and thus bend or arch the article to be wrapped soas to secure or aid in securing the effect ascribed to the conformingdevice. Although the use of both is desirable, either bar 9 or theseguides 90, 91 will so bend the package as to enable the lower ply of itswrapper to be drawn from edge to edge of the article like a bowstring,which will cause the wrapping tube to be conformed to exactly the samesize as the outside widthwise dimensions of the article when fairlycompressed, and the result will be that when the wrapped article and itswrapper are free to assume their ultimate flattened shape, the wrapperwill snugly fit the article and form a compact package, capable ofresisting any ordinary handling and transport.

One feeding mechanism consists of two disks 14., 15 mounted upon a shaft16 that is sustained by arms 17, 18 by which it is hung to swing upon ashaft 19 that is journaled in the side frames. These disks are adjustably set apart such a distance that they preferably bear upon or nearthe outer edges of the article passed beneath them for introduction intothe machine, and they are constantly ro- IIO tated by means of a pinionthat meshes withapinion 21 on the shaft 19, which latter is driven byintermediates 49 and 22 from a pinion 23 on a short shaft which isdriven by miter gears 24, 25, from thelongitudinal shaft '26. The disks14, 15 have as a pressing support the roller 27 whose shaft is driven bymeans of a pinion 22. Another feeding mechanism consists of similardisks 28, 29 mounted upon a shaft 30 that is sustained by arms 31, 32 bywhich it is hung to swing upon a shaft 33 that is journaled in the sideframes. These disks are adjustably set such a distance apart that theypreferably bear upon or near the outer edges of the article passedbeneath themin its onward passage through the machine, their shaft 30 isrotated by a pinion 37 that gears with a pinion 38 on the shaft 33 whichlatter is driven by an intermediate 39 which gears through anintermediate 40 that is on a shaft 36 which is revolved by means ofmiter gears 44, 45, from the longitudinal shaft 26. These disks 28, 29have pressing support upon disks 34, 35 directly beneath them, whichdisks are supported and driven by their carrying shaft 36 upon which isfixed the intermediate 40. Another feeding mechanism consists of similardisks 51, 52 mounted upon a short shaft 53 that is sustained by arms 54,55 which are hung upon a shaft 56, that is journaled in the side frame.These disks are adj ustably set such a distance apart that theypreferably bear upon or near the outer edges of the article passedbeneath them in its inward passage through the machine. Their shaft 53is rotated by a pinion 57 that gears with a pinion 58 on the shaft 56which latter is driven by an intermediate 59 from a pinion 60 on a shaft64 which in turn is driven by miter gears 61, 62 from the shaft 26.These disks 51, 52 have pressing support upon a roller 63 mountedbeneath them upon .the shaft 64. Another feeding mechanism consists ofsimilar disks 65, 66 mounted upon a shaft 67 that is sustained by arms68, 69 which are hung upon a shaft 70 that is journaled in the sideframes. These disks are also adj ustably set such a distance apart thatthey preferably bear upon or near the outer edges of the article passedbeneath them in its onward passage through the machine. Their shaft 67is rotated by a pinion 71 that gears with a pinion 72 on the shaft 7 Owhich latter is driven by an intermediate 73 from a pinion 74 on a shaft75 which in turn is driven by miter gears 76, 77 from the shaft 26.These disks have as a pressing support a roller 111 mounted on the shaft75.

A pressing device consists of a small concave roller 11 that dependsfrom arms 78, 79 that are hung upon the shaft 56. This roller has acontour that fits the convex upper surface of the bar 9 upon which i.has a pressing support over the whole or greater part of the uppersurface of the seam uniting the edges of the wrapper that envelops thepackage, while the thus wrapped package is passing between it and saidbar 9.

The shafts 19, 33, 36 and 70, are provided with rock arms 0, 12, 0,50 bywhich the adj ustment of the feeding disks 14, 15; 28, 29; 51, 52; 65,66; and roll 11 which they respectively support, with relation to thethickness of the package being formed, is accomplished and maintained.These rock arms are held in suitable position'between opposite lugs bymeans of set screws, as is clearly shown in Fig. 4. t

The cutting mechanism consists of a vibrating double edged cutter whosetwo oppositely cutting blades 7, 8 co-operate with shear plates 10, 13that are supported by bridge bars 106, 107 secured to the framing andwhich shear plates are set and may be adjustable sufficiently apart toadmit the passage of the wrapped or covered article to be operated upon.These shear plates 7, 8 are carried by two vibrating arms 81, 82supported by a shaft that is rocked with timely exactitude through arock arm 83 and a connecting rod 84 that are moved by a cam 85 journaledby a stud on one side frame and rotated by means of a wheel 86 thatmeshes with a pinion 87 carried by the shaft 75.

The delivery mechanism consists of an endless apron 88 that runs overrollers, one 89 only being shown, to which apron an onward feedingmovement may be imparted in any convenient way.

The intermediate or longitudinal shaft 26, through which motion isimparted to many of the devices, is rotated from the main driving shaft150 by means of an intermediate 42, constantly geared with anintermediate 41 fast on the shaft 36, and hung in swinging arm 50 sothat may mesh with a large driving wheel 46 or with a smalldriving wheel43 as may be desired, said driving wheels 46, and 43 being splined onand arranged toslide upon the driw ing shaft 150 for this object.

It being understood that as the conforming device or floating bar 9 andthe compressing bending devices or edge guides 90, 91, are notessential, though advantageous, in the operation of wrapping, thatoperation will first be described without reference to these devices;andthereafter their functions will be explained.

A rolled web 103 of suitable wrapping paper of a width equal to thewidthwise area of the article to be wrapped, plus the overlappingportion required for the seam, is mounted upon the spindle 94 and ledover a roll 104 and then under a roll 105, where the under side of oneof its edges receives a line of paste from the paste disk or roll 101which dips into a paste vat 102 and runs in pressing contact with theroll 105. It is introduced through the folder with its central portiondrawn over the folding guide or edge g; its sides are folded inwardly onlines corresponding with parallel extensions from the points of unionbetween the guides or edges g, u and 9,2 so that one edge will overlapthe other to form a uniting seam and these inwardly folded sides arebent outwardly over the guides or edges cl, e, so as to be distendedthence from the guides tt, "i, see Fig. 10. Its sides will thus beoverlapped forming atube Which is fed onward by the disks 51, 52 androller 63. Thus conformed the web will be p gressively converted into atube as it is cont nuously fed or drawn through the folder, and itsoverlapped edges will be joined tog er by apasted seam. From aninspection of Fig. 10, it will be observed that this process ofconversion of the web into a tube, causes the sides of the web to takesuch directions of travel as to present an open pocket just in advanceof the guiding edge g, which is peculiarly suitable for the introductioninto the tube of the article to be wrapped or covered, as is shown inFigs. 9 and 10. The incoming package, fed onward by the tapes describedor by the disks 14, 15 and roller 27 or other wlse delivered into thispocket, will by passing through the compressing guides have its edgeoredges compressed to an equal thickness, and when in contact with themoving web or Wrapper it will thereafter be carried onward through themachine by frictional action, though it is preferable to aid itsmovement by means of the disks 28, 29 and roller 34, before it reachesthe disks 51, 52 and roller 63 which propel the web. As the article tobe wrapped rests upon the paper web and ad vances through the folder thesides of the web will be turned centrally over it and laid smoothly andtightly upon it, one side of the web overlapping the other side andbeing fastened thereto by a pasted seam, thus enveloping the article ina flat paper tube or cover. The seam will ordinarilybe complete when thewrapped article passes the lapping guide E or guide e,but it ispreferable to use a roller as 11 to press this pasted seam so as torender it sufficiently strong to maintain itself when it is freshlyformed and damp. The packs or articles will preferably be so fed ontothe wrapper as to lie quite closely together, although if it is desiredto have one or both ends overhang so as to form a protecting projectionsaid packs or articles will be fed so as to be suitable distances apart.The wrapped packages thus successively formed within the tubularWrapper, may be divided one from anotherby any suitable cuttingmechanism. The one herein shown is howevera desirable construction andit operates as follows:

When theleading wrapped package has entered between the disks 65, 66 androller 111 which are to feed it out of the machine and its rear end orpredetermined line of severance between it and next rearward packageemerges from between the shear plates 10, 13 and is passing a pointcorresponding with the path of travel of the cutting blade 7 or 8, theircarrier will be quickly vibrated to cause one blade as 8 to descendthrough the wrapper and sever it transversely more or less close to therear end of one or the forward end of the other package, and the nextsevering will be accomplished in like manner by the blade 7 as itscarrier is quickly moved upward. The plates 10, 13, may thus inconnection with the blades 7, 8 act as shears, or they may constitute aholding guide to sustain the wrapped package while the cutting isperformed. The foremost wrapped package th us completed by being severedfrom those following it and undergoing the wrapping operation will befed onward by the disks 65, 66 and roller 111 and emerging therefromwill drop onto the moving belt 88 which constantly advancing willreceive the packages in succession upon it and finally deliver them intoany convenient receptacle.

\Vhile the operation as thus described is a practical mode of wrappingpackages, it is advantageous to produce a package whose wrapper is sotightly bound about the enveloped article as to closely compact itscomponent parts into the smallest possible dimensions. To accomplishthis is the object of the conformator or floating bar 9 and thecompressing or bending devices and the edge guides 90, 91. This floatingbar 9 lies in such a plane With respect to the guiding edges d, e thatit lifts the central portion of the article to be wrapped high enough totransversely curve said article, thus enabling the lower ply of thewrapping web to be drawn in a straight line from the lower outside edgesof said article, and thus occupy somewhat less space than it willultimately cover when the article finally assumes its flat form, whilethe sides of the web are drawn tightly over the edges of the article andlaid smoothly over its upper surface where they are lapped together andunited by the seam. And as this bar 9 is curved to conform to thistemporarilyarched condition of the article, the pressing roller 11 iscorrespondingly concaved so that it will press evenly upon the pastedseam. This conforming of the package will be aided by the edge guides90, 91, which pressing laterally upon the edges of the package tend tocompress it into the arched form, yet while advantageous they may beomitted, and with some packages they may be alone used and the floatingbar 9 be omitted. When thepackage passes beyond the floating bar 9 andthe guides 90, 91, it will from its inherent qualities atonce assumeaflat condition thus straining its wrapper closely about it and drawingits component parts, as the plies of paper forming it, compactlytogether and practically form a compressed package.

It will from slight consideration be apparent that since the floatingbar is positioned somewhat above the path of travel through the folder,that bearing disks pressing its outer edges downward will cause thearched form described.

The function of the disks 1 1, 15 and roller ICC 27 is to feed thearticle delivered to them onward into the pocket of the tube, and henceif the feeding mechanism for the article to be wrapped delivers itdirectly into such pocket, they may be omitted. The disks 28, 29 andtheir co-operating disks 34, 35, are not necessary in all cases. All ofthese feeding disks may be used with advantageous results since they areset less distances apart than the length of the shortest package andinsure a positive onward feed at all points of travel of the article.

What is claimed is 1. A folding apparatus for producing a wrapping tube,consisting of guides having edges, g, u, 2', cl, 6, the latter cl, (2 ofwhich are adjustable vertically for varying thicknesses of articles tobe wrapped or covered, substantially as described.

2. A folding mechanism consisting of the guides having edges, 9,10, 2',(l, e, of which the guiding edges d, e are curved at points 1, 6adjacent to the guiding edge g, whereby they operate to support thatportion of the paper web which is to be lapped against the edge of thearticle to be wrapped,'substantially as described.

3. In a machine for wrapping or coveringa package having loose plies, asa pamphlet or folded newspaper, the combination with the folding lappingguides having edges d, e of the compressing guide operating upon theupper surface of the package near-one or both of its edges,substantially as described.

4. The combination with the foldinglapping guides having edges d, e, ofthe compressing guide 4 or 5 operating upon one or both of the outeredges of the package, substantially as described.

5. The combination with the folding lapping guides having edges 01, e,of a compressing guide as 2, 4 or 3, 5' operating upon the upper surfaceand outer edge of the package at one or both sides thereof,substantially as described.

6. The combination with the foldinglapping guides having edges 0!, e forlaying the sides of the web onto and overlapping thesame upon thearticle to be covered, of means for bending or arching the said articletransversely, whereby the cover or wrapper is applied snugly about thesaid article, substantially as described.

7. The combination with the foldinglapping guides having edges d, e, forlaying the sides of the web onto and overlapping the same upon thearticle to be covered, of the conformator 9 and side guides 90, 91,operating to bend or arch said article transversely and thus insure asnug fitting of its cover when said article assumes a fiat form,substantially as described.

8. The combination with the foldinglapping guides having edges d, e forlaying the sides of the web onto and overlapping the same upon thearticle to be covered, of the conformator 9, substantially as described.

9. The-combinationwiththelappingguides having edges cl, e for laying thesides of the web onto and overlapping the same upon the article to becovered, of side guides 90, 91, operating to bend or arch said articletransversely, and a support, as plate R, for the package, substantiallyas described.

10. The combination with the guides having edges, g, to, '2', d, eoperating to convert a web into a tube and form a pocket for theentrance of the article into said tube, of means for feeding the articleto be wrapped through said pocket into the tube, and means for advancingsaid web, whereby the article becomes enveloped or wrapped within thetube, substantially as described.

11. The combination with the guides having edges g, u, i, d, e,operating to convert a web into a tube, form a pocket for the entranceof the article therein and to envelop or wrap said article within thetube, of means for feedingthe articles to be wrapped through said pocketinto the tube, means for advancing the tube and the article enveloped byit, and devices for applying a line of paste to the overlapping parts ofsaid tube to form its closing seam, substantially as described.

12. The combination with the guides having edges g, u, 'i, d, 2,operating to convert a web into a tube, form a pocket for the entranceof the article therein and to envelop or wrap said article within thetube, of means for feeding the articles to be wrapped through saidpocket into the tube, means for advancing the tube and the articleenveloped by it, a device for applying a line of paste to one of theoverlapping parts of said tube to form its closing seam, and. a rolleroperating to press said seam, substantially as described.

13. The combination with the guides havin g edges g, u, 9, cl, e,operating to convert a web into a tube, form a pocket for the entranceof the article therein and to. envelop or wrap said article within thetube, of means for feeding the articles to be wrapped through saidpocket into the tube, means for advancing the tube and the articlesenveloped by it, a device for applying a line of paste to one of theoverlapping parts of said tube to form its closing seam, and a means forsevering the tubular wrapper at points between the enveloped packages,substantially as described.

14. The combination with the guides having edges g, u, t', d, 6,operating to convert a web into a tube, form a pocket for the entranceof the article therein and to envelop or wrap said article within thetube, of means for feeding the articles to be wrapped through saidpocket into the tube, means for advancing the tube and the articlesenveloped by it, a device for applying a line of paste to one of theoverlapping parts of said tube to form its closing seam, a pressingroller operating to press said seam, and a means for severing thetubular wrapper at-points between the enveloped packages, substantiallyas described.

15. The combination with the guides having edges g, u, t', d, 6operating to convert a web into a tube, form a pocket for the entranceof the article therein and to envelop or wrap said article within thetube, of means for feeding the articles to be wrapped through saidpocket into the tube, means for advancing the tube and the articlesenveloped by it, a device for applying a line of paste to one of theoverlapping parts of said tube to form its closing seam, apressingroller operating to press said seam, a means for severing the tublarwrapper at points between the enveloped packages, and means fordelivering the detached enveloped package, substantially as described.

16. The combination with a mechanism for feeding packages in successionthereto, of the guides having edges d, e, whereby the sides of a web arelaid or folded onto said packages as a wrapper or cover therefor, andfeeding disks adjustable laterally so as to effectively bear upon andfeed forward the enveloped article, substantially as described.

17. The combination with a mechanism for feeding packages in successionthereto, of the guides having edges (1, 6 whereby the sides of a web arelaid or folded onto said packages as a wrapper or cover therefor andfeeding disks adjustable vertically to suit the thickness of and thuseffectively feed forward the enveloped article, substantially asdescribed.

18. In a wrapping machine wherein the wrapper or cover is folded aboutthe package as a tube and the tube and enveloped articles aresimultaneously advanced through the machine by one or more pairs offeeding disks, the combination with said disks of means for adjustingthem to fixed vertical bearing positions to suit different thicknessesof articles to be operated upon, substantially as described.

19. The combination with a folder operating to form a tube and envelopan article therein, and means for advancing the same rapidly through themachine, of a cutter having blades 7, and 8, and means for vibrating thesame so as to sever package from package at each of its movements ofvibration, substantially as described.

20. The combination with a folder operating to form a tube and envelopan article therein, and means for advancing the same rapidly through themachine, of shear plates 10, 13 and a cutter having blades 7 and S, andmeans for vibrating the same so as to sever package from package at eachof its movements of vibration, substantially as described.

21. The combination with a folder operating to form atube and envelop anarticle therein and means for advancing the enveloped article throughthe machine, of a floating bar as 9 having a convex upper surface and apressing roller as 11 having a concave bearing surface, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

LUTHER O. OROWELL.

Witnesses:

H. T. MUNsoN, Tues. F. Karma.

